FSA slk crankset/bb clicking

[sideshow_bob]

WHAT!?! How quickly you (choose to) forget ...

lie down alfeng, have a valium, wash it down with some of your favored hilly billy liquor. then repeat about another 50 times, thus doing the rest of us a favor.

--brett

 

[alfeng]

lie down alfeng, have a valium, wash it down with some of your favored hilly billy liquor. then repeat about another 50 times, thus doing the rest of us a favor.

--brett

Hey, sorry. I was apparently confusing YOU with another clown ...

Using teflon tape on the BB has been discussed more than one time before in these Forums ...

Perhaps you ran across it, and had simply forgotten ...

Or, have the effects of that concussion come back to haunt you?

 

[sideshow_bob]

i'm glad you took my advice and are cranking down those downers. keep going, you're nearly there.

i've not had a concussion for about 15 years. and when i posted that question, ummm about a year ago, the search at the time wasn't operating so i hadn't seen it referenced.

--brett

 

[eliu]

I believe it is the crank that is coming loose and not the BB. I meant I would be tightening the left crank down a touch.

If it is the BB I would probably not try this without the blessing of my LBS. The BB and crank are still udner warrantee so I don't want to do anything that might wreck that until the period is up.

Thanks for the advice, however.

I am beginning to wonder if this is a common problem with all external bearing BB and crank combos. I looked at a lot of reviews of other external bearing-based cranks and all have someone complaining about this same problems (i.e. creaking and play). Anyone have any feedback on this???

According to FSA, they now recommend use of loctite 641 between the end of the axle and left crank arm. This applies to their carbon cranksets with megaexo BB. They supposedly include a small tube of the stuff with newly purchased cranksets. However, if you don't have any, good luck in finding some at a reasonable price. So far, the few places that I found online carrying it charge quite a bit for a small tube and/or for shipping. I have the SLK compact carbon crankset that I have not used because I can't find anyone locally that carries 641. If you find it somewhere, let me know. Good luck. By the way, FSA is of no help. They told me to check my lbs and hardware stores and none of them carried the stuff.

 

[scirocco]

BikeStop have it for six bucks plus eight bucks shipping within the US. Seems fairly reasonably priced to me.

 

[sideshow_bob]

I have the SLK compact carbon crankset that I have not used because I can't find anyone locally that carries 641.

i'd try installing it first before deciding if the 641 is needed or not. i've got 2 sets of k-force cranks, and until recently was using the 641 as supplied and recommended. i've just started assembling without it, and after riding both for more than 1000km's now i haven't had a problem.

i understand that some cranks have issues with the non-drive side loosening, and apparently some don't. give it a shot and see how you go.

--brett

 

[kopride]

I am having the same problems with my FSA crankset as well. Creaking and clicking. My LBS says that the spacing on my Litespeed is right but that he has to keep the crank loose or the tension will seize the bearings. If he tightens it, then the bearings get crushed. I already replaced the bottom bracket a few months ago when I thought that was the problem. I will print out this thread and see if my LBS can get it fixed, but I will never buy FSA again.

 

[jwilliamson]

Originally Posted by hd reynolds .

Quote:
Originally Posted by eliu I have a new FSA slk compact carbon crankset on a Merlin extralight. Cranks were fine until recently when they developed a "creak/clicking" sound which occurs only while pedaling. It seems to be coming from the bottom bracket and resonates through the frame. Megaexo bottom bracket and crank bolt was tightened again by LBS. This took care of the problem for all of 50 miles when the creak came back. Crank bolt was found to be loose again and tightened. This process has been repeated 3x cause each time the crank bolt loosens up again and the creak comes right back. Torque is done with a park tool beam type wrench using specs between what is recommended in the manual, and what is stamped on the bolt(100 kgf-cm difference between the two, don't ask me why). Was thinking of using loctite, but I'm not sure if that would void my warranty. Anyone else experiencing the same problem? Will put in a call to FSA tomorrow. That sound is driving me nuts.
Record crankset on a Giant TCR Composite... loctite solved the problem. If you worry about warranty then ask yourself what problem you want to solve - the clicking or not having your warranty void. At any rate, I hade the BB serviced 2 times in the last 2 years for normal maintenance and there was no problem removing it and replacing it. LBS mechanic used loctite everytime.

Also, does it say in the warranty 'never use loctite' or something similar?

do you reapply loctite annually? or did this solve the problem?